wildlife watching: raptor edition
Spotted another raptor today, this time on 84 going back to Westside. Honestly the highway is one of the best places to spot raptors, especially in winter. They usually perch on the lightposts or in trees right on the edge of the highway- especially red-tailed hawks. Only downside is since you're moving so fast it's hard to ID them unless they're really conspicuous and easy to identify- the easiest are probably turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks. Once I learned to ID vultures, I saw them all the time. Actually today when I was waiting for the shuttle to leave Midtown, there must've been more than 20 vultures flying around a block or so away. Vultures can also be very startling to see up close and if you're not sure what they are- they have a large wingspan. Two of my favorite vulture sightings- driving up to Mount Washington in summer 2007, with my uncle Andy, there was a tree on the side of the highway in NH FULL of turkey vultures; they were mostly just sitting and some had their wings spread out. Also maybe a year or so ago on Talcott Mt, walking the trail on the ridge there were quite a few vultures gliding on the thermals, and we saw them really close, and a couple stopped and perched on a rock jutting out from the cliff. They were probably less than 20 ft away so we got a really good look at them but of course I didn't have my camera.
Red-tailed hawks are easy as when they're flying their wing shape is pretty distinct and easy to ID and also their red tail feathers. Plus they're sometimes being mobbed by crows and other birds who don't want to end up eaten by them.
Other hawks I'm not so good at unless I get a good look and I have a bird book with me. Mostly I just end up yelling "hawk". Also I can be a very annoying person to be in a car with because no matter if I'm driving or not, I'm on the lookout for any vultures or raptors. Plus if I'm driving somewhere where there's a lot of vultures to be seen (like 91 or 15) I feel the need to call out every single one I see. If I'm driving though I only look up...if I'm not I'm constantly scanning not only the sky but slowing my eyes down to scan every single tree on the side of the highway, and of course any lightposts. I know I'm probably a desperate nerd for this but once you learn what things are it's impossible to not see them or not look for them when you can (that goes not only for birds but for reptiles, mammals, fish, plants, etc).